Vaginal Prolapse Options

[midtncattle]

Got a 6 year old cross cow that is 4 to 6 weeks from calving. She prolapsed the other day and the vet put a purse string stitch in her. I have calved out a cow in this situation before but she was only a week or so from calving and I was able to watch her closely and to be honest I got lucky at lunch one day when I came home to check her and she was in obvious hard labor and I was able to cut sticth loose and she calved. I don't fill good about catching this one with that long a window. Sale barn owner says stitch will cause her to bring between .45-.65 a pound. I know that means .45. She has always had a good calf. I am wanting to be greedy and try to get calf any options beside purse string?

 

[Aaron]

If you happen to miss her when she starts to calve, she'll just rip the stitches out. Might have to stitch her up again after she calves and cleans. Let her raise the calf and send her to the kill line in the fall.

 

[Till-Hill]

Had a cow do it last 3 years. Calved twins then 104 lb bull then she killed an 88 lb heifer. I never stitched her before calving. Just got so big the last time and the swelling it dinged calf to much and she never got up. I rolled the dice and won 2x and lost the last. It was a cow raising club calves that had been selling good. Was worth the risk on her but now she will get a trailer under her.

 

[dun]

the only options are ship her now or either check on her often or have someone else check on her often, or if you're sure of her due date (either from observing her being bred or AI) when she gets close to that date induce her. We went through the same mess a couple of years ago. Finally in the middle of the night she went into what appeared to be hard labor so I snipped the stitch. She apparantly wasn't in hard labor so the next day when she prolapsed we stiched her again. 2 days before she was due to AI we induced her and the next day snipped the stitch. Dropped a dandy heifer calf that went to the sale barn at weaning along with her. She prolapsed again a week after calving and we stiched her again. A month before weaning we pulled the stich and everything stayed inside so she sold as a weigh cow.

 

[thommoos]

I would keep her till she calves, cut the stitches when she starts to bag up, you know it will be soon, then resticth her and sell her at Weaning.